In this tutorial l will explain how to create the Windows Media Player Orb. It's a fantastic orb that just seems to jump right off the screen. And with a few easy to follow steps

you'll have no problem creating graphics for your interfaces, and layouts that do just the same.

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Step 1.)
Start a new document that is 300 x 300 in size, and fill the background with the following gradient:
The colors used are: #84AAD9 and #A4BFEA

Step 2.)
Next create a new layer, and make a a selection like pictured bellow:

and fill this selection with #FFFFFF (white)

next set the opacity of this layer down to 31 percent, go up to "filter->blur->Gaussian Blur" with a setting of 2 pixels

here's what you should have

Step 3.)
Create a new layer, get out the elliptical marquee tool hold down the SHIFT key (to make a perfect circle) and make a selection like this in the center of the canvas:

Fill this selection with #5B87CE DO NO DESELECT

Step 4.)
Create a new layer. Set your foreground color to white (#FFFFFF) Get out your brush, with these settings:

now color in the bottom portion of the selection like so:
It doesn't have to be perfect, just similar to what l've got.

Now go to "filter->blur->motion blur", and apply these settings:

Here's what you should end up with:

Drop the opacity of this layer down to 85 percent. Press 'V' on your keyboard (to get out the move tool) and press the up arrow on your keyboard 4 times. This will move the blur up slightly

Next go to "filter->blur->Gaussian blur" with a setting of 5:

Here's what you should have now:

Step 5.)
Next hold down the CTRL key and click on the lay with the blur circle in it:

This will make a selection of the circle again for us.

goto select->modify->contract with a setting of 7 pixels

Create a new layer on top of everything, and make a white (#FFFFFF) to transparent gradient fill on the circle like so:

Step 6.)
Now make a selection like so with the elliptical marquee tool. This is done basically by making a HUGE oval selection that overlaps the entire canvas.

Step 7.)
Now go to "select->inverse" to invert the selection, and tap DELETE on your keyboard.

Next go to "filter->blur->Gaussian Blur" with a setting of: 1.5

Drop the opacity of this layer down to 88 percent, this is what l've got so far:

Step 8.)
Now double click on the layer with the blue circle:

and apply these blending options, the color used is #08397E: Drop Shadow:

Step 9.)
Now the only thing left to do is to add your icon onto the orb. You can put letters, symbols or whatever. Here l put a triangle to symbolize a 'play' button. I also resized the image down to 50x50 for use as an icon: